The goal of the Center for Developing and Testing of Point of Care Tests (POCT) for STDs" is to support the[unreadable] development of these tests and work with other Centers to pilot this technology and assure that it is made[unreadable] available to clinicians and other end users. This goal is compatible with the stated goal of the National[unreadable] Institutes of Health (NIH), National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB) and positions[unreadable] the Center to further the agency's mandate. To support the Center's goal, the goal of Core 4 is to[unreadable] successfully educate bench scientists regarding the test requisites identifed by clinicians and home users.[unreadable] These educational programs will illustrate the realities of the settings in which these tests will be performed[unreadable] and illustrate the essential role the tests will play in addressing public health priorities. The specific aims for[unreadable] this Gore include: conducting training programs for laboratory scientists using the Internet; ensuring content[unreadable] that illustrates the need for these assays; and offering brief clerkships to the scientists in settings where the[unreadable] POCTs,will be performed. Our training will reinforce the philosophy that affordable, sensitive, specific, user[unreadable] friendly, rapid, robust, equipment-free, deliverable non-invasive assays are essential to support clinical care[unreadable] and disease prevention. By increasing the awareness that 1)these tests offer both providers and home[unreadable] users the opportunity to perform tests and get immediate results; 2)rapid test results in clinical practice will[unreadable] assure early effective treatment and disease intervention; 3)home tests with immediate results may empower[unreadable] private individuals to learn their status and seek early treatment and counseling; and 4)early treatment and[unreadable] counseling are imperative in intervening on disease progression and transmission, the training will advance[unreadable] the knowledge of public health functions and principles and demonstrate the importance of partnership with[unreadable] scientists at the bench to the health of the community. Core 4 supports the Center's strong public health[unreadable] focus and actively demonstrates the public health functions of assessment, assurance and communication.